BILL NUMBER: AB 157	CHAPTERED  09/29/99

	CHAPTER   564
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   SEPTEMBER 29, 1999
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR   SEPTEMBER 28, 1999
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   SEPTEMBER 10, 1999
	PASSED THE SENATE   SEPTEMBER 8, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   SEPTEMBER 3, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   JUNE 29, 1999
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   JUNE 2, 1999
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   MAY 28, 1999
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   APRIL 19, 1999
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   MARCH 8, 1999

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Reyes, Ashburn, Briggs, Cardoza,
Florez, and Machado
   (Coauthors:  Senators Costa and Poochigian)

                        JANUARY 15, 1999

   An act to add and repeal Title 11.5 (commencing with Section
14170) of Part 4 of the Penal Code, relating to crime prevention, and
making an appropriation therefor.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 157, Reyes.  Crime prevention.
   Existing law authorizes the County of Tulare to develop within a
specified period the Rural Crime Prevention Demonstration Project to
be administered by the county district attorney's office pursuant to
a joint powers agreement with the county sheriff's office for a
3-year period.  The parties to the agreement are required to
establish a rural crime task force that is required to develop crime
control techniques, encourage timely reporting of crimes, and
evaluate the results of these activities.  The staff for the project
is selected by the sheriff and the district attorney as specified.
The provisions authorizing the project are repealed as of January 1,
2000.
   This bill would instead declare that the County of Tulare has
developed the above-named project and that the parties to the
agreement have formed a task force.  The bill would authorize the
Counties of Tulare, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin,
and Stanislaus to develop the Rural Crime Prevention Program,
modeled on the above-described Rural Crime Prevention Demonstration
Project, as specified.  The bill would provide that it is the intent
of the Legislature that the $3,541,000 appropriated in the Budget Act
of 1999 for the purposes of this program be allocated among the
counties, as specified.  The bill would further provide that the
Legislative Analyst shall, by December 31, 2000, prepare and submit
to the Legislature a detailed cost-benefit analysis of the entire
program, and that $100,000 shall be appropriated for this purpose.
The bill would further provide that the title shall become
inoperative on June 30, 2000, and that provisions authorizing the
program shall be repealed as of January 1, 2001.
   Appropriation:  yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Title 11.5 (commencing with Section 14170) is added to
Part 4 of the Penal Code, to read:

      TITLE 11.5.  RURAL CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM

   14170.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
measure to enhance crime prevention efforts by establishing a pilot
program to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies in
rural areas to detect and monitor agricultural-  and rural-based
crimes.
   (b) The County of Tulare has developed the Rural Crime
Demonstration Project administered by the Tulare County District
Attorney's Office under a joint powers agreement with the Tulare
County Sheriff's Office entered into pursuant to Chapter 5
(commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the
Government Code.
   The parties to that agreement formed a task force to include the
Office of the Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner.  The task
force is an interactive team working together to develop problem
solving and crime control techniques, to encourage timely reporting
of crimes, and to evaluate the results of these activities.  The task
force conducts joint operations in order to facilitate investigative
coordination.  The task force consults with experts from the United
States military, the California Military Department, the Department
of Justice, other law enforcement entities, and various other state
and private organizations as deemed necessary to maximize the
effectiveness of the task force.  Media and community support have
been solicited to promote the task force.
   The Rural Crime Demonstration Project has proven its cost
effectiveness.  It is appropriate that the project be expanded into a
program that will allow the County of Tulare to continue to operate
the task force formed under the above described joint powers
agreement, and to permit the Counties of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera,
Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus to establish their own programs,
pursuant to the provisions of this title, and to collectively
establish a task force for the prevention of rural crime in those
counties.
   (c) The Legislature finds and declares that California has
experienced an escalation in agricultural crimes in general, both
property and personal, and that there has been no concentrated effort
applied to the prevention of crimes against the agricultural
industry.  Currently, no national or state agency keeps track of
statistics on agricultural and rural crime.  According to media
reports, this state lost millions of dollars worth of crops,
livestock, and equipment in 1994 and 1995.  A majority of these
crimes occurred in agricultural-based counties.  However, there has
been no effort on the part of any state or local agency to accurately
record these types of crimes.
   The Legislature further finds and declares that there are no state
or local law enforcement agencies in this state with programs that
are specially designed to detect or monitor agricultural- and
rural-based criminal activities.  In addition, local law enforcement
agencies do not possess the jurisdictional authority, investigative
facilities, or data systems to coordinate a comprehensive approach to
the state's agricultural and rural crime problem.
   The Legislature additionally finds and declares that the
proliferation of agricultural and rural crime in the various rural
counties of this state is a threat to the vitality of our rich
agrarian tradition.  Agricultural and rural crime, if left unchecked,
endangers an entire industry that is vital to America's continued
economic role in the world, and therefore requires a proactive
response from the Legislature.  The intent of the Legislature in
authorizing the Rural Crime Prevention Program pursuant to this act
is to provide for the protection and safety of the state's
agriculture industry by creating statewide standards and methods of
detecting and tracking agrarian and rural crime.
   14171.  (a) Each of the Counties of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera,
Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare may develop within its
respective jurisdiction a Rural Crime Prevention Program, which shall
be administered by the county district attorney's office of each
respective county under a joint powers agreement with the
corresponding county sheriff's office entered into pursuant to
Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of
the Government Code.
   (b) The parties to each agreement shall form a regional task force
that shall be known as the Rural Crime Task Force, that includes the
respective county office of the county agricultural commissioner,
the county district attorney, the county sheriff, and interested
property owner groups or associations.  The task force shall be an
interactive team working together to develop crime prevention,
problem solving, and crime control techniques, to encourage timely
reporting of crimes, and to evaluate the results of these activities.
  The task force shall operate from a joint facility in order to
facilitate investigative coordination.  The task force shall also
consult with experts from the United States military, the California
Military Department, the Department of Justice, other law enforcement
entities, and various other state and private organizations as
deemed necessary to maximize the effectiveness of this program.
Media and community support shall be solicited to promote this
program.  Each of the designated counties shall adopt rules and
regulations for the implementation and administration of this
program.
   (1) In order to receive funds for this program, each designated
county shall agree to participate in a regional task force, to be
known as the Rural Crime Task Force, and shall appoint a
representative to that task force.
   (2) The Rural Crime Task Force shall develop rural crime
prevention programs containing a system for reporting rural crimes,
as defined in paragraph (4) of subdivision (d), that enables the
swift recovery of stolen goods and the apprehension of criminal
suspects for prosecution.  The task force shall develop computer
software and use communication technology to implement the reporting
system, although the task force is not limited to the use of these
means to achieve the stated goals.
   (c) The staff for each program shall consist of the personnel
designated by the district attorney and sheriff for each county in
accordance with the joint powers agreement.
   14172.  By September 30, 2000, each designated county shall
prepare and submit to the Legislative Analyst a detailed cost-benefit
analysis of the entire program, wherein the cost to operate the
program shall be measured against savings realized from crime
prevention, crime suppression, and the number of prosecutions
resulting from the program.  These savings shall include the
reduction of economic loss resulting from crime during the life of
the project.  The Legislative Analyst shall evaluate the program, in
consultation with the Office of Criminal Justice Planning, and shall
present its evaluation, including a detailed cost-benefit analysis of
the entire program, to the Governor, the Joint Legislative Budget
Committee, and the fiscal committees of the Legislature, by December
31, 2000.
   14173.  It is the intent of the Legislature that the sum of three
million five hundred forty-one thousand dollars ($3,541,000)
appropriated for the purposes of this act in Schedule (vy) of Item
8100-101-0001 of the Budget Act of 1999 be distributed, in the
following amounts:


    Fresno .............................    $792,625
    Kern ...............................     592,625
    Kings ..............................     292,625
    Madera .............................     192,625
    Merced .............................     292,625
    San Joaquin ........................     292,625
    Stanislaus .........................     292,625
    Tulare .............................     692,625

   14174.  The sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) is
hereby appropriated from the General Fund, Schedule (vy) of Item
8100-101-0001 of the Budget Act of 1999, to the Legislative Analyst
for the costs of preparing an evaluation of the Rural Crime
Prevention Program, including a detailed cost-benefit analysis of the
entire program, as required by Section 14172.
   14175.  This title shall become inoperative on June 30, 2000, and,
is repealed as of January 1, 2001, unless a later enacted statute,
which is enacted before January 1, 2001, deletes or extends the dates
on which the title becomes inoperative and is repealed.
